Search form

Two out of five: What a weekend!

Submitted by Walt on July 26, 2004 - 4:52pm

Only a few people have ever seen my sad list of the five people I just can't deal with any more--four of whom I've never met (for which I'm grateful). I wish there was no such list, but you know, sometimes you realize that responding to certain people is beating your head against a stucco wall, and the bleeding isn't worth it.

Two of the five popped up at LISNews this weekend, both laying into me for one reason or another. One has added an obsession with how Cites & Insights should be produced, how detailed its table of contents should be, and other stuff, to his other set of obsessions--and doesn't quite seem to realize that the more he complains (repeating the same complaints over and over), the less likely I am to actually pay attention. Tossing in compliments about the content doesn't help. This is a prime example of not only looking a gift horse in the mouth but trying to kick its teeth in; it's really not appreciated.

The other...well, you know, once someone's called you a "hater" in their own weblog, there's really nowhere to go but out. The range of insults was amusing at one point but got tiresome pretty fast. I certainly don't mind disagreement (as I think the current issue demonstrates!), but I do get turned off by sheer nastiness.

What I can't for the life of me figure out is why these two so obviously grab onto Cites & Insights (spelled variously in their various rants) as soon as it comes out, given that they find it and me so variously unacceptable. Do some people just love looking for stuff to pick at, hate, disagree with? Even after they should be aware that they're not going to get a direct response from me, ever? Or, even more, that I'm likely to be persuaded by their hostility and repetition?

[OK, it could help persuade me to stop doing Cites & Insights altogether, which I'm sure would please one of the two--but then my stubborn streak kicks in...]

Oh well. It's Monday, the weekend was less productive than usual, and I'm grumpy. Never mind.

Comments

"Do some people just love looking for stuff to pick at, hate, disagree with? Even after they should be aware that they're not going to get a direct response from me, ever? Or, even more, that I'm likely to be persuaded by their hostility and repetition?"Short answers to these questions were provided in subject line. I don't believe these "dead enders" believe that you're likely to be persuaded by their hostility and repetition, not unless they are clinically insane. That's a possibility, but simple self-righteousness is the likelier explanation.To belabor the obvious, for some people it's "My way or the highway!" Anything thought that doesn't fit into their worldview leads them to attack both the thought and the integrity of the person uttering the offending thought.Please listen to your stubborn streak and keep up the good work. Anyone who truly believes you are a "hater" should consult a mental health professional, or at least TRY to provide believeable examples!

I love to print it out and read it at the coffee shop, but I'm low on paper here at the Lake, so will have to postpone that pleasure. I don't suppose you can block the hecklers, but could choose to not read them.

I wouldn't wish to block the hecklers. In general, I don't read the magic five (three of whom don't address my stuff directly anyway, although one of them used to), but once in a while curiosity overcomes me.

And, as a general rule, I don't want to ignore critical comments--I hope to learn from some of them. (I do learn from some, nay most, of them.)

That's why I'm a little ashamed of having a s**tlist. At least it's very small.